Sole-protector for boots or shoes



(No Model.)

B. & D. J. ROWLANDS.

SOLE PROTECTOR FOR BOOTS 0R SHOES.

No. 397,250. Patented Feb. 5, 1889.

N. PEIERS. Pnmumn ner, Washington. 0 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EVAN ROWLAND}; AND DAVID J'. ROlVLANDS, OF YOUNGSTOIVN, OHIO.

SOLE-PROTECTOR FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 397,250, dated February 5, 1889.

Application filed May 23, 1888. $eriai No. 274,871. (No model.)

To all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that we, EVAN ROWLANDS and DAVID J. ROWLANDS, oi Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of, Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Sole-Protectors for Shoes, &c., of which the following is a specification.

The aim of our invention is to provide for the use of roller-mill operatives and others who require to walk upon burning coals and highly-heated iron a metallic devieewh ich may be readily applied. to and removed from the soles of boots or shoes, and which shall not interfere with the flexibility of the sole.

To this end it consists, essentially, in a soleplate consisting of a number of sections united by steel strips or equivalent flexible connecting devices and provided with arms to engage the edges of the sole, and with devices forlocking them in place thereon, as hereinafter more fully explained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of on r device, lookin g downward thereon as it appears when removed from the shoe. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same in operative position. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line a: m of Fig. 3. Fig. l is a plan view of a pervious sheet to be used bet-ween the shoe-sole and the body portion of our protector.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the sole of an ordinary boot or shoe, and B ourimproved protector-plate. This plate consists of a series of thin metal plates or sections, a, formed and grouped edge to edge in such manner that they will jointly cover the under surface of the sole of the shoe. These plates are riveted or otherwise firmly secured at their inner edges to two longitudinal stripsofsteel or equivalent material, h, of a flexible character. Atthe forward end these flexible strips are pivoted, as shown at c, to the plate at the toe, this construction allowing the remaining plates to be separated or spread apart along the middle of the device in order to facilitate its application and removal, as hereinafter explained.

The plates (1 maybe provided with perforations a and with studs or projections (t on the under surface, or they may be otherwise formed, as preferred. At the outer edges the plates are provided with 1lpwardly-extending arms a, the upper ends of which are turned inward in the .t'orm of lips a, adapted to engage over or to seat themselves within the edges of the sole of the shoe in order to retain the device thereon. The strips 1) are extended rearward beyond the plates and provided near the rear ends with slots or openings 1). Near their outer edges we provide the respective plates with lips (won their upper surfaces, the lip of each plate overlapping the edge of the next, as shown in Fig. 1.

To the bottom of the shoe, at any suitable point forward of the heel, we secure a plate, E, provided with rotary studs or turn-buttons '1 adapted to pass through the slotsin thelongitudinal strips. e

In making use of our device it is opened,as shownin Fig. 1, and applied to the undersurface of the sole. The bars Z) are then closed together at the rear end, slipped over the studs 2', and secured by giving the latter a partial rotation. Theeftect of this operation is to cause the secure engagement of the arms a with the edges of the sole, and to lock thedevice firmly in engagement, so that its escape is impossible. It will be observed that the lips a and pivots I) serve to maintain a separation between the plates and the sole, thus allowing between a free circulation of air by which the burning of theleatheris prevented when the shoes are worn by workmen in rolling-mills or in other places where they are required to walk upon heated surfaces. As a further protection in this regard, we propose to introduce, when desired, between the device B and the sole of the shoe a sheet of wovenwire cloth, such as shown at C, 4, or an equivalent pervious material which will maintain a separation and pcrmita free circulation of air. This wire-cloth will also serve the additional purpose of preventing the burning cinder-s from coming in contact with the leather.

lVhile we prefer to retain the details of construction herein shown, it is to be understood that they may be modified in some respects without departing from our invention. One of the essential features of our invention resides in joining the series of sole plates or sections by flexible strips, whereby the plate any other manner the mechanical equivalent thereof. It is also manifest that in place of the particular locking devices herein shown any other equivalent devieemaybe employed for securing the arms Z) to the shoe.

\Ve are aware that a rigid cast-metal solecovering plate has been hinged atits rear-end to a rigid shanleplate, and we are also aware that in an i ;-eereeper two small distinct plates, 5 each having a stud to engage the ice, have been fastened underopposite edges of the sole, and to such (-onl rivanees we lay no claim, the essence of our invention residing in the fact that the covering for the sole proper is eoinposed of numerous small plates flexibly connected edge to edge, so-that they constitute jointly a large covering-plate having [leXibiL ity or pliability in all directions, so that the sole of the shoe may bend under the weight of the wearer with practically the same. treedom as one used without the covering.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. The flexible sole-covering consisting of numerous small metallic wearing plates grouped edge to edge in suitable form and number to cover the sole, and flexible metallic connections between said plates, sul'istanl tially as described, whereby a shoe-sole may be covered and protected from destruction in walking on coals 0r highly-heated substances, and at the same time permitted to bend treely'under the weight of the wearer.

2. The toe-plate, the two spring-arms pivoted thereto, the series of plates attached to the spring-arms and provided with lips to engage the edges of the sole, and the fasteningl plate 6, said elements combined for joint operation, as described.

3. In a sole-protector for a shoe, the longitudinal pivoted strips b, and the series of plates or sections a, secured to said strips and provided with the arms a and with the lips at.

l. A sole-protector consisting of the series of small plates united by flexible strips, as described, each plate provided with a series of perforations with studs on the under face and with lips to engage the edges of the sole.

In testimony whereof we hereunto set our hands in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

E VAN ROW'LAN DS. DAVID J. RO\VLANDS.

\Vitnesses to signature of Evan Rowlands:

OWEN EvANs, A. J'. WooLE. Witnesses:

\V. CLARENCE DUVALL, W. R. KENNEDY. 

